Tripura Sports Journalists Club’s 2025 award ceremony honored Arjuna Awardee Dr Kalpana Debnath with a Lifetime Achievement Award and celebrated eight top athletes. Learn about Tripura’s sports infrastructure advancements and the event’s highlights including name of the awarded players.
Agartala May 20: In a celebratory showcase of sporting excellence, the Tripura Sports Journalists Club (TSJC) hosted its annual award ceremony on Tuesday (May 20, 2025), at a prestigious hotel in Melarmath, Agartala. The event spotlighted Tripura’s sporting talent, with Dr Kalpana Debnath, the state’s second Arjuna Awardee gymnast, receiving the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award,
The award was announced to be named after the club’s late founding president, Gautam Kar Bhowmik. Besides, eight other athletes were recognized as the best of the year for their achievements in national and international competitions.
The event was inaugurated by Tripura’s Sports Minister, Tinku Roy, who presented the prestigious awards. In his speech, the minister thanked TSJC for organizing such an event and highlighted the state government’s efforts to develop sports infrastructure across Tripura. He mentioned the construction of synthetic football fields, 20 grass fields with galleries, indoor stadiums in two districts, swimming pools, and other facilities. He urged collective efforts to achieve success, noting that India lags behind smaller nations in Olympic achievements despite success in other fields. He emphasized the need to reflect on this gap and find paths to success.
Sports Director Satyabrata Nath, who attended the event, remarked that sports in Tripura have progressed significantly, with notable achievements in various fields. Dr. Kalpana Debnath, overwhelmed with emotion upon receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, expressed her joy and praised the initiative for inspiring the state’s future generations.
The athletes honored as the best of the year were: Sridam Pal (Cricket), Pritam Hossain (Football), Sreeparna Debnath (Gymnastics), Parinita Dey (Yoga), Tania Das (Judo), Rita Nag (Bodybuilding), Arshia Das (Chess), and Aradhya Das (Chess).
The ceremony also honored Padma Shri Olympian Dr. Dipa Karmakar for her achievements in 2023-24, as she was unable to receive the award last year due to being out of state. Dipa said the TSJC’s recognition had motivated her in the past and described the award as a significant honor.
Agartala Press Club president Pranab Sarkar highlighted TSJC’s history, noting its consistent efforts in recognizing the best athletes and its commitment to continue doing so. TSJC president Saraju Chakraborty presided over the event, outlining the club’s 33 years of continuous activities and thanking the Sports Minister and attendees.
He acknowledged the state government’s transformative contributions to sports infrastructure and urged athletes to utilize these facilities to bring success to Tripura, aiming to produce more Olympians. He assured TSJC’s full support for the state’s sports development.
The athletes honored as the best of the year were: Sridam Pal (Cricket), Pritam Hossain (Football), Sreeparna Debnath (Gymnastics), Parinita Dey (Yoga), Tania Das (Judo), Rita Nag (Bodybuilding), Arshia Das (Chess), and Aradhya Das (Chess).
The club expressed gratitude to the Sports Department, Longtharai Gura Masala, Hotel Sonargaon, Tripura AIDS Control Society, and TSJC well-wisher Rupam Roy for their support in successfully organizing the event.
